SmartVault Erfahrungen

Awesome to add to my tech stack

Kommentare: My compliance department introduced SmartVault instead of google drive or another service. I couldn't be happier! And, the integration with docusign is awesome.
My clients find it easy to work with .

Vorteile:

It's an easy way to securely hold all of my clients documents. I LOVE that it works well with docusign. My clients find it easy to use.

Nachteile:

If you cannot get in touch with customer service (everyone is busy!) they have FAQ's that I easily found what I was looking for!

Well packaged Document Management System, well presented!

Kommentare: Overall, I have been very impressed by SmartVault. I was using Office 365 Business and was fed up that Sharepoint kept falling over for clients - I had set it up as groups to move documents around as I provide payroll services, but often I would get an email from the client saying not received or can't access. SmartVault integration has been very easy and clients have embraced - I think that for many it looks like IE tree set up for navigating makes it easier and that a desktop version is available for their use - a feature taken away by Microsoft - they feel they have greater control too. The current global pandemic has meant that the software has been a god send in maintaining client relations and service provision. I am pleased to have moved over and would recommend.

Vorteile:

- Very user friendly and easy to navigate - Easy to set up and invite clients and give the appropriate access according to their status i.e. full for the company director down to folder or file specific - Easy to upload documents and great that it has a desktop version in addition to the online version. Clients like the Apple integration and the fact it works happily with MAC's as comfortably as non-MAC Windows PC's - Good support, though confusing when you get a US number for someone who lives in India to assist! - I'm a UK based company - Free set up and training assistance including full run through of the software - Unlimited Companies - Free access for clients - Templates for Accounts/Payroll etc save a lot of time for setting up year on year

Nachteile:

- Integration with Outlook - this is hit and miss if it works and mine doesn't meaning I can't link email in - have been advised it is due to not having the full office suite, though I have and it still wouldn't integrate - A little expensive compared to other products, but it was best fit for the business

Too many Cons, not worth the value

Kommentare: SmartVault is well intentioned, but misses the mark. The program has the following issues:
- Slow. The connected desktop takes painstakingly long to refresh when looking for client data. And when you sometimes have to cross-reference info, it can be very annoying.
- Expensive. When we first purchased smartvault, we went with the basic plan. 2 years later they discontinued the plan, and we were forced to spend 1.5x as much for widgets and features that we still don't use. Since we had JUST moved all our clients to that portal it seemed like it'd be a mistake to have to move them to another program immediately. It almost felt like extortion.
- Although we've been using smartvault only for about 5 years, they've already changed the layout and look for the online portal several times. I see something completely different than certain coworkers and clients. It's almost as if they only got halfway with this cosmetic transition, then got distracted by other things like a neurotic puppy.
- Their support is hit or miss. However, when it's a miss, its a dangerous miss. We had an issue where we couldn't access a clients file. Tech supports solution? Delete everything in the file. They didn't ask before they did this. This included efile forms and copies of returns, now making us non-compliant with the IRS. For an accounting tool, this is a big deal.
- Constant glitches. I keep local copies of excel files because I do not trust SmartVault to keep live files safe. Which completely defeats the purpose of a program like this. There are a myriad of other issues. There are positive things about smartvault, but none of which justify the price. If they made a desktop, non-portal version of the program that simply integrates with Lacerte like DMS use to do it'd be much better. But then they couldn't gouge you for all your worth every year on a subscription model, so they wont do that.

Vorteile:

The front end for clients, many of whom have multiple entities, is very beneficial.

Nachteile:

Overly expensive for a product that doesn't deliver.

Wouldn't use anything else

Kommentare: We are operating a paperless office and everything in the cloud, this is eco friendly as paper waste is minimal. Also all data is securely stored in a cloud so we do not have to worry about backups .

Vorteile:

Possibly the most seamless cloud-based solution for accountants. There are a few ways to work with SmartVault depending on your circumstances, these are the portal itself, Connected Desktop and SmartVault Drive. All can be used from your main PC. SmartVault Portal You can use the portal in a web browser, this is fantastic if you are on the move and away from your usual machine when you need to access documents and all you need is an internet connection. Connected Desktop This would be used from your PC, this is where you can do tasks such as sending password protected documents, links to documents, or get documents signed by clients. SmartVault Drive This is simply a mapped drive from the cloud to your PC, it is so simple to use, where you can access files drag and drop documents in seconds. One of the most important pros is the use of 2 Factor Authentication as this does hold client records and data.

Nachteile:

Only con I have found, when getting documents signed by DocuSign using SmartVault, if you select one document to sign, then drag and drop other documents, only the original selected documents get updated in SmartVault, and then you have to update the signed documents manually via drag and drop.

Not worth the effort or price

Kommentare: Even though I have had issues with the software and it does not meet all of my needs I likely would have renewed had they honored the agreement made when I signed up. You are required to have a minimum of 2 licenses and the agent I worked with was able to waive that requirement and I agreed to use the software as opposed to going with a different provider. They have now decided to unilaterally enforce the 2 licenses even though I was told my pricing would be locked in as long as I remained a customer. So due to the price, because it does not contain premium features, and the lack of integrity I would not recommend this software to anyone.

Vorteile:

I like that the software does what it is supposed to (securely stores documents) but there aren't too many bells and whistles and a lot of it is very manual to do. I also like the DocuSign integration.

Nachteile:

There are a lot of features missing and since they are now doubling the cost it is definitely not worth it. There is no way to securely request files from clients who do not have an account. They just barely added a document request feature which I will not be trying since I am not renewing. It is not intuitive to use for my clients and it does not integrate with my tax software. There is a feature to send tax organizers to all of your clients which would be useful if I could upload a template but that is not an option.

Reliable and Secure

Kommentare: I love the integrations. I cannot say enough about their vision to continue to improve it's interface. This is a super cost effective way for me to operate my tax practice as well as the work I do with other clients.

Vorteile:

I love that SmartVault can integrate with other software applications I use. The security that SmartVault brings to the table is critical to the protection of my clients data. This application fits perfectly with my suite of other applications and I can count on it remaining secure.

Nachteile:

The website times out too often. Maybe I am not aware of being able to extend the time-out but that is definitely something that needs to improve. I also would like to see improvements in the mobile application.

Easy and secure

Kommentare: SmartVault is easy to use and secure. The price point is great. Clients find it easy to use. I really like the integration with Outlook. I can easily email links to documents, which makes SmartVault even easier for clients. It is secure, and that is very important to me. Access to files anytime and anywhere is also important. Customizable folders is an added benefit. Each year I get more clients using it. I will use it as long as am in practice. I have no need to shop for anything else.

Vorteile:

Security is the number one feature. SmartVault is easy to use and secure. Clients find it easy to use. Integration is Outlook works great.

Nachteile:

A function to email a third party a document without them having an account would be great. Maybe it is there and I don't know how to use it.

An OK portal, if you only want a portal

Kommentare: They are a competent client portal with a price on the lower end of the spectrum. However, after 6+ years the product was quite stale so I decided to switch to a more agile portal vendor who is actually spending time and money to improve and develop their product.

Vorteile:

It integrates with Lacerte fairly smoothly. SV drive and SV connected desktop facilitate working with the files on my local workstation, which is a feature that many cloud based DMS solutions lack. Always having my documents available from wherever I am.

Nachteile:

They did not meaningfully improve the product at all while I was using it between 2013 and 2019. The product was literally almost exactly the same when I started using it and when I stopped. Also, their iOS app is, to put it generously, pathetic - and was never updated to fix the many glaring problems with it. Chief among those is that from day one the search function in the app is completely useless, meaning that I have to scroll through many nested folders to find each file I want, every time.

Great product for storage and collaboration

Kommentare: With SmartVault I never have to worry about where my documents are for all of my clients. I know they are secure and accessible at all times no matter what computer I have access to.

Vorteile:

I love SmartVault for the unlimited storage capacity and ease of use. I am easily able to collaborate and share files and sensitive documents with colleagues and clients alike with different permissions. I love being able to access my documents from any computer, anywhere, anytime. I feel like care about me as a consumer and try and be as helpful as possible.

Nachteile:

Learning SmartVault was a bit difficult in the beginning but the company provides plenty of training and hundreds of videos.

A Friendly Document Management Solution with Room for Improvement

Kommentare: I generally find it effective for storing and sharing sensitive documents securely and appreciate its user friendly interface

Vorteile:

SmartVault provides an intuitive interface that makes it easy for users to navigate and manage documents

Nachteile:

There is limited features on the mobile app

Great Idea not the best implementation

Kommentare: It was great at the beginning but having a lot of customers to migrate was kind of a headache and not so easy to use for my liking

Vorteile:

Is a good concept, nice storage capabilities

Nachteile:

not so easy to implement, did not like that is kind of confusing to use

SmartVault exposes identities of all clients!

Kommentare: Good service response immediately after initial installation and implementation. Since then it has been very poor.

Vorteile:

Notification of uploads. Ease of settin gpermissions.

Nachteile:

A client opened its vault and saw identities of all clients -- in violation of IRS security requirements.

AWFUL CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Kommentare: We started using smartvault about 3 years ago and it is a great software/cloud organization for an accounting practice UNTIL something goes wrong. The customer service is terrible, the wait to talk to someone could take hours and they would promise a call back but it wouldn't happen. So you call back, get another promise and it doesn't happen again. In the meantime, your whole workflow is suffering. It has been a month and I am still waiting...

Vorteile:

convenience of having all the documents in one place, organized

Nachteile:

UNRELIABLE, make sure you backup your data, but most importantly, TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SUPPORT.

Functional software but outdated and difficult design and features

Kommentare: Overall, SmartVault serves its purpose with our organization, for sharing bank documents with our accountant and providing employee benefit enrollment documents to the correct managers while protecting sensitive information such as social security numbers and health records. We would use it for all accounting document sending, including scanned invoice transfer, if the site were more up to date and easy to use. As it is, it is far easier to drag and drop scans into our email provider than into SmartVault. It is useful for its intended functions but design and UX prevent it from being a mainstay of our entire accounting process.

Vorteile:

Secure file sending, Protecting sensitive bank and employee data, secure storage location with trusted provider, access for all necessary admins, two-factor authentication for sign in.

Nachteile:

Drag and drop uploads are not intuitive. Requires several clicks to reach location to upload. Add button at top is not an upload feature but pins folders to taskbar. Design of home portal is outdated/not intuitive to use. Two factor authentication not required on each sign in/uses email only rather than options for text code.

Horrible customer service, not as advertised

Kommentare: Not good at all. The service did not work as it was originally described to me and then the reps would not respond to me to resolve the issue. I have seen similar comments on Facebook saying the same thing.

Vorteile:

I liked that they appeal specifically to the accounting industry. Many services serve multiple different industries, but SmartVault is trying to work specifically within tax preparation.

Nachteile:

I was originally told that SmartVault integrated with my tax preparation software (Proconnect), but it does not. I was also told that I would have a 30 day money-back guarantee. I tried to cancel my service and claim the refund, but they ignored all of my messages (more than 10) and continued to bill me every month!

So Glad to be Paperless

Kommentare: My experience has been great. Set up went good and it was pretty easy to use

Vorteile:

All my files are available to me no matter where I am working from. Has saved our butts during covid

Nachteile:

Sometimes it is hard to get through to support when working long tax session hours

Happy Customer

Kommentare: Overall I am happy and glad I found them.

Vorteile:

The price is affordable for a boutique firm like mine. It also puts me at ease for the security for confidential information sharing with clients. It's also easy to organize and I don't have to worry about clients who always ask for the same information over and over again. I just simply tell them to go to the portal.

Nachteile:

The tech support is helpful but not as responsive as I'd like since one reason I became their customer is because I was told their tech can be my tech for my clients so I don't need to waste my time to assist my clients.

You Don't Get What You Pay For

Kommentare: I'd strongly suggest looking elsewhere for your storage and file sharing needs. This company prices its service like they are the cream of the crop, but in reality they are the bottom of the barrel. The price for my plan nearly tripled this year with zero new features or services being added that are actually useful. There is no Android app available, which is ridiculous considering the extreme pricing. And be careful, the company will auto renew your plan for 12 months and there is no means to cancel for a refund once they charge your credit card. And they will still auto renew after completely altering the terms of the contract. Shady company for sure.

Vorteile:

Really nothing to like. It's as basic as it comes for a storage and file sharing platform.

Nachteile:

-No Android App -Poor Interface and Terrible Permissions Programming -Way Overpriced

We are please with Smart Vault

Vorteile:

Smart Vault allows us to securely provide tax information, payroll information, reports, etc. to our clients and employees working from home. It has been a wonderful tool to share information with our clients during these difficult times. Most clients find it easy to upload their documents. No more worry of their information getting lost in the mail.

Nachteile:

Still learning some of the features, not sure if it is Smart Vault or because we just don't have the time to dig into learning the program completely.

Great Software for Central Document Storage

Kommentare: I work with a team of six who are in remote locations. With SmartVault, we all have access to photos, videos and document, and I can always be sure I'm using the most updated material. It is easy to file, upload and take information I need without having to store it locally on my system. This ensures I have the most updated information and I'm not using memory for something I don't need to store.

Vorteile:

The system is easy for the team to store and share documents. The sign-in is quick and secure, uploads or downloads are fast, and it keeps everyone "on the same page," even when working remotely.

Nachteile:

It doesn't work well as a "z" drive, so I tend to use it "in the cloud." I've never been able to sort it out, so I just found a workaround.

Makes Working With a Team Easy

Vorteile:

My firm relies heavily on team work, and SmartVault helps us do so securely. We love that it is cloudbased and that we can access this where ever we are, especially with COVID-19 restrictions in place. Because of this product, when our office needed to immediately work from home, we did not flinch.

Nachteile:

It can take a bit to load certain aspects of this software. Also, not every client is keen on using yet another "vault".

Smartvault

Kommentare: Overall, it is a great document management system, clients also seem to like it

Vorteile:

Easy to navigate and upload documents, manage clients. Easy set up for customers

Nachteile:

Some features like deleting email can be difficult if not done properly, the software freezes a lot during tax season

Best Software to store documents

Kommentare: It is one great software that helps to go paperless.

Vorteile:

The best thing I like about this software is the storage capacity and pace available. It is very convenient and easy to use.

Nachteile:

Since I do not have the admin access I cannot delete a file I accidentally uploaded to SmartVault and have to request my manager to do the same. Have to sometimes mostly refresh the folder once the document has been uploaded.

Smartvault user

Vorteile:

This is a very easy tool to save all documents, organized and able to share with the colleagues and available always online.

Nachteile:

So far I have no negative comments on the uses that I give to this application.

I love SmartVault

Vorteile:

The fact that my clients can use this software as well. I can email a link for my clients to look at their financials securely.

Nachteile:

Nothing to complain about. I love everything about the software